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Planners Say 30th Elvis Week Could Be Huge

Officials in Memphis are bracing for a tourist invasion as Graceland celebrates the 30th Elvis Week, a commemoration of music, magic and memories of the King. Hotel rooms are being snapped up three months in advance of the Aug. 11-19 celebration, The (Memphis) Commercial-Appeal reported Tuesday. Major events during the week already are sold out. Five years ago, the 25th anniversary celebration broke records with an estimated 75,000 tourists, said Jack Soden, Elvis Presley Enterprises chief executive officer. He said he realized the 30th could be bigger when tickets went on sale for the anniversary concert at FedExForum. "For the 25th anniversary, we spent all summer selling tickets to the concert," Soden said. "This one sold out without even trying." Soden said interest in this year's milestone 30th year can be attributed to aggressive marketing, including a new nationwide advertising campaign, and an inaugural worldwide Elvis Tribute Artist contest with finalists competing in an Elvis Week showdown.

What I don't like is that when the COGIC folks come to Memphis and they come in droves, the prices go down and they can park just any old place they want.....on sidewalks even....and make tons of noise until very late and noone does a darn thing about it. It should be the same way for Elvis fans. Since Elvis Presley brings in so much money to this town, we should all be catered to like them. While I believe that Mr. Sillerman has a huge masterplan, it could be years down the road. We all might be too old to enjoy it. I realise that when you purchase a lot of property and plan to put bigger buildings up and whatever, you need to make money as well. It's business. But, for sure, Elvis wouldn't like a lot of what is going on these days.

I feel Elvis Week is going to be exciting & I am certainly looking forward to it. However, June is right in that the "Powers" should be offering more reasonable rates in light of the expected crowd. It is actually terrible the way they are gauging the fans. If they are supposedly celebrating the true spirit of Elvis, they would know better. Except for the Vegas shows where prices are determined by the casinos, Elvis & the Colonel always made their tickets prices within reach of the common person. Elvis stated more than a few times that people have to buy tickets & travel to see a show & he didn't want to take advantage of them. Anyways, the point is that we will never see reasonable prices again. When CSX took over EPE, it was strictly for one reason: large profit. While profit is not a dirty word & any organization has to make a profit to operate, this corporation is above & beyond what the average person would deem reasonable profit. I truly feel that this corporation is going to run EPE into the ground, the fans be damned. When they have made their money & made Elvis no longer viable to the average crowds, they will pull out & sell out. This is not about Elvis & music heritage - it's about big business. I have met many people from EPE & they are basically nice people but they have gone in a different direction & certainly are dumping on the fans!

i was there for the 10th, 15th, 20th, and 25th, amongst other times. I would have thought there were more than 75,000 at some of those, but i guess i was wrong. Well i met Shantay and her daughter and her mom at the 20th and that was a brilliant time. Hope your well Shantay, if your out there! =)

I've been to tribute week about 9 times.I was there for the 20th anniversary,I think the last time I was there was 1999.I miss seeing the other fans I met the late Gloria Richter and a number of other people like Bob Alaniz Jean Brown.I miss talking and hanging out with the fans the most though and of course Graceland and Beale Street.Being a single father I really can't afford to go though I would love to my three year old daughter is now an Elvis fan and she would love it.I don't feel guilty about not contributing money to Priscilla she wasn't around when Elvis had food stuck in his throat or being soaked in a bathtub of icecubes to revive him.but,by God she sure has milked Elvis for all these years.

Soden said interest in this year's milestone 30th year can be attributed to aggressive marketing, including a new nationwide advertising campaign, and an inaugural worldwide Elvis Tribute Artist contest with finalists competing in an Elvis Week showdown. I don't think this is going to draw many people. The fans go to Graceland to be with friends, hang out and have fun. Not that many people are into tribute artists. The price's are way over priced on EVERYTHING! With the crowds, you would think, lower the prices, bigger profit. No, let's overcharge on tickets, souvenirs, hotels and make money, never mind that the people are on a fixed income, all are seniors, and have to save up 5 years to go. They don't care about us, all about the money! The more they make, the more the price goes up.